Nikon has just launched the Coolpix P300, that company’s first pocket-sized digital with a 24-100mm (35mm equivalent) lens with an f/1.8 maximum aperture. The Coolpix 300 joins 7 other cameras Nikon announced this week. (All new Nikons are available now for pre-orders; credit cards will not be charged until orders ship.) The 12MP camera offers full auto as well as manual exposure and focus control , and Nikon claims the backside illumination CMOS sensor will produce better image quality in low light.
The P300 appears to be in direct competition with the Canon S95, which was introduced last year, and the Olympus XZ1, which came out at CES last month.
Nikon Coolpix 3P00 key features:
- 12MP backside illuminated CMOS sensor
- 24-100mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.8 Zoom-Nikkor glass lens
- Full HD 1080p video at 30fps, can zoom during recording
- Stereo sound
- Optical Vibration Reduction
- ISO range 100-3200
- Aperture-priority, shutter-priority and Manual exposure control
- 921K pixel, 3-inch LCD screen
- Backlight HDR mode combines 3 exposures in camera
- Night Portrait mode combines multiple exposures
- Night Landscape mode combines faster shutter speed exposure for improved tonal range, lower noise
- Special Effects mode
- Creative Slider mode
The Coolpix P300 will be available for $330 starting in March. For details, read the Nikon press release.
Three new Superzooms
In addition to the Coolpix P300, Nikon also announced three Superzoom cameras, the P500 with a 36x zoom as well as the Coolpix S9100 and L120.
The 12MP Coolpix P500 features a 22.5-810mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens and offers a dual image processor that Nikon says improves performance and reduces noise. A hybrid vibration reduction system is said to help stabilize handheld images at longer focal lengths.
Nikon Coolpix P500 key features:
- 12MP backside illuminated CMOS sensor
- ISO range 100-3200
- 22.5-810mm (35mm equivalent) 36x
- Macro focus to 0.4 inches
- Hybrid Vibration Reduction system
- Full HD 1080p movies
- Expeed C2 dual image processor
- 5fps high-speed image capture
- In-camera HDR combines exposures
- Night Portrait mode combines multiple exposures
- Night Landscape mode combines faster shutter speed exposure for improved tonal range, lower noise
- 19 scene modes
- 921K pixel, 3-inch LCD screen
The Nikon P500 will be available in March in Black and Red INKCPP500RD for $399.95.
The Coolpix S9100 shares almost all of the under-the-hood features of the P500, but is more compact while still offering an 18x zoom (25-450mm, 35mm equivalent). In addition to a 12MP backside illuminated CMOS sensor, ISO up to 3200, and full HD video recording at 1080p, the S9100 also has an Easy Panorama mode and Special Effects mode for artistic photos and videos.
The last of the new Nikon superzooms is the budget-priced Coolpix L120, which is being targeted towards less sophisticated shooters. It sports a 21x zoom lens, a 14MP sensor, hybrid VR image stabilization, and 720p video. The camera boasts an Easy Auto mode for beginners, a 3-inch, 921k LCD monitor, Pet Ptortrait mode, and AA battery operation.
The Nikon Coolpix P500 will be available in Black or Red in March for around $400; the S9100 will be available in Black, Red, and Silver in March for approximately $330. For details on Nikon’s superzoom cameras, read the press release:
Four new consumer compacts
Finally, Nikon announced a foursome of compacts designed for social network sharing and ease of use. All offer the Smart Portrait System, which incorporates a series of automatic functions including In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™, Face-Priority AF, Face Priority AE, Smile Mode, Blink Warning and Skin Softening to flatter even the most camera-shy subject. They also have a new Expeed C2 image processing engine, which Nikon claims improves color and sharpness, Scene Auto Selector or Easy Auto mode, which recognize the shooting situation and adjust the camera settings accordingly.
The S6100 is a 16MP camera with a stylish look, a 7x optical zoom, a 3-inch, 460k dot LCD with a touch-screen interface. It will be available in March for $200.
The S4100 (shown above) and S3100 are said to have trendy exterior designs and user-friendly operation. The S4100 has a 3-inch 460k dot touch-screen monitor while the S3100 has a 2.7-inch regular LCD monitor. Both cameras have a 14MP sensor and 5x optical zoom. Users can upload photos online via their home computers to Nikon’s myPicturetown photo hosting service or other social media web sites. Both the S4100 and S3100 will be available later this month for $180 and $140 respectively.
The Coolpix L24 is a basic affair with a 14MP sensor, 3.6x optical zoom lens and video and an attractive $120 pricetag. The L24 will be available later this month for $280 in Black, Red, or Silver.
For more information on its new consumer compacts, read Nikon’s press release.
